pfeil



(No Model.) 2 Sheets+Sheet 1.

G. H. PPEIL. SWITCH AND SIGNAL OPERATING-APPARATUS.

' wmtoz: Gewyefl Hez/Z,

Mme/1g Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.-

. G. H. PFEIL. SWITGH AND SIGNAL OPERATING APPARATUS.

I N0.472 ,464. PatentedApr..5,1892.

W I I A Q A A A ."PP ?AQPPPPPPP A A .2?

amen wow GwZyeE 272225,

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.."

eEoReEII. PEEIL, oE EAsroN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONALSWITCH AND sIeNAL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SWITCH AND SIGNAL OPERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,464, dated April 5,1892. Application filed December 12, 1891. Serial No. 414,871. (Nomodel.)

T at whom it may concern: best for the purpose; and I shall now proceedBe it known that I, GEORGE H. PFEIL, of to a more particular descriptionof my inven- Easton, in the State of Pennsylvania, have tion byreference to'the drawings, in whichinvented a new and useful Improvementin Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism. 5 Switch and SignalOperating Apparatus, of Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3which the following is a specification. is a section on line 3 3, Fig.1, looking in the My invention relates to interlocking switch directionof the .transverse rock-shafts which and signal apparatus, and hasparticular refcarry the cams that impart a partial rotary erence to thatportion of said apparatus movement to the signal-rods. Fig.4 is asec- IOtermed the selector, which is a mechanism tion on line 4 4, Fig. 1,looking toward the whereby the switch-operating devices when rearguide-bearing through which the signalthey are actuated are caused toadjust the rods pass. signal connections in such manner that only In theparticular apparatus shown in the the signal appropriate to the routetowhich drawings there are three signal-rods R R R 15 the switch orswitches have been adjusted supportedandlongitudinallymovableinfront canbe operated, the other signal or signals and rear guides Gr G and alsocapable of rounder these conditions remaining locked tation therein.Each rod at its rear has a toe against move1nent.- Such mechanismusually or projection a, which when the rod is parcomprises a singlelongitudinally-movable tially rotated in the proper direction will en-20 shifting-bar connected to and operated by the ter and engage aslot 1) in the longitudinallysignal-lever in the tower and two or moremovable shifting-bar S. The shifting-bar is signal-rods longitudinallymovable for the supported and slides in suitable guides c, and purposeof operating the signals and brought is to be connected to and operatedby the siginto and out of engagement either bya proper nal-lever in thetower, as will be understood 25 movement of their own other than that bywithout further explanation. Each signalwhich they operate the signalsor through the rod is further formed for a portion of its intermediaryof' coupling devices by whose length with a squared part d, upon whichmovement they are connected to or disconloosely fits a collar e ofcorresponding shape. nected from the shifting-bar,this latter move- Tothe collar is made fast one end of spiral 8o 0 ment of the rodsthemselves or of the coupspring 3 encircling the rod and attached atling devices being occasioned by the same its other end to thefrontguide G. This motion which shifts the switch or switches. springtends to rotate the rod in a direction Myinvention relates to thatparticular kind opposite to that in which the latter is rotated ofselector in which the signal-rods themselves by its appropriate cam onthe rock shaft or 3 5 are moved into and out of engagement with shafts,as will be presently described. To rethe shifting-bar; and, brieflystated, it constrain the collar from following the longitudisists inimparting to the signal-rods for this nal movement of its rod it isprovided witha purpose an axial rotarymovement, or, in other circularflange e, which fits in and engages words, I combine with thesignal-shifting bar a slot f in a stop-piece f, attached to the base 40two or more signal-rods longitudinally movof the apparatus. Eachsignal-rod also is able for the purpose of operating the signalsprovided with a longitudinal wing which is and capable also of amovement of partial roacted on by the cam for rotating the rod, andtation,whereby they are thrown into and out of also serves as a weightto act upon the rod in engagement with the shifting-bar. This movethesame direction as the spring 8.

5 ment of partial rotation is effected by the I here remark that thewing may be of size same motion which shifts the switch approsufficientin itself to furnish weight enough priate to the signal rod or rodsacted on and to turn the rod back into the position from can be broughtabout by a variety of interwhich it is moved by the cam; but I prefer tomediaries. I have represented in the drawsupplement it by the sprin ginorder to insure I00 50 ings accompanying this specification thecertainty of action.

means which I believe to be on the whole the Beneath and extendingcrosswise of the signal-rods are two rock-shafts B B supported insuitable bearings and designed to be connected to and operated by theswitch-operating mechanism by any of the devices usually employed forthat purpose. The rock-shaft B has three cams C C C on itone for eachsignal-rod. Each cam is like the others and is of the form shown. Therock-shaft B has two cams C C only, which are designed for and operatethe signal-rods R R respectively. These two cams on shaft B are set atninety degrees to each other. Upon shaft B, however, the same two camsare set in coincidence with each other, but at ninety degrees to the camG, which operates rod R. Each cam by wiping against the wingg of itssignal-rod will rotate the rod partially against the stress of thespring 3 and in a direction to turn the toe 0. of the rod out ofengagement with the signal-shifting bar S.

In the position of parts represented in the drawings the signal-shiftingbar is retracted. The signal-rod B only is in engagement with the bar,and consequently has been drawn back by the bar, while the other rods RR by their cams have been partially rotated in a direction and farenough to carry their toes at out of engagement with the bar.

The rear guide G has in it openings or slots h of size and shape topermit the passage of each rod and its wing when the rod is in theposition where it interlocks with the shifting-bar. At other times,however, the wing g is turned out of register with its slot h, as shownin thedrawingsin the case of the two rods R 11 and thus locks its rodagainst possibility of rearward movement.

The number of rock-shafts and the number and positionof their cams willof course vary with the number of signal-rods and the variouscombinations which it may be desired to make; but each signal-rod willbe thrown into and out of engagement with the shifting-bar by a movementof partial rotation, brought about by suitable devices actuated by orfrom the switch-operating mechanism. It is this feature whichcharacterizes my invention. Various forms of mechanism manifestly can beavailed of to accomplish this result. Itherefore do not restrict myselfto the particular details herein described and shown in illustration ofmy invention; but

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Ininterlocking switch andsignal operating apparatus, the combination, with a signal-shifting bar,of two or more signal-rods longitudinally movable for signal-operatingpurposes and capable also of axial rotary movement, whereby they arecaused to engage and to be disengaged from the signalshifting bar,substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination of the signal-shifting bar, the signal-rods capableof both longitudinal movement and rotation, the Wings g on said bars,and the rock-shaft and cams for operating on said wings, substantiallyas and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the signal-shifting bar, the signal-rods capableof both longitudinal movement and rotation, the wings on said bars, therock-shaft and cams for turning the rods in one direction, and thesprings tending to turn the shafts in the other direction, substantiallyas and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof Iallix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE I'I. PFEIL. Witnesses:

J. BRUNNER, J. W. LATTIG.

